Game of chance

ABSTRACT

A table-type betting game that simulates gambling on races at a horse or dog track. The game includes an AMOUNT OF BET circle, a number of ODDS DISCS, and a BANK. An indicator, rotated over the bet circle, determines the amount of a player&#39;&#39;s wager. The BANK is always the eventual winner, due to specially designed ODDS DISCS. Each disc is divided into segments of varying sizes, and each segment carries a betting odd, the reciprocal of each of the betting odds being greater than the corresponding segment&#39;&#39;s proportional share of the periphery of the disc. The discs are interchangeable, and each disc represents one game or &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;race.&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; An arrow rotated over an odds disc determines the winning player and the odds he receives.

United States Patent 1,752,089 3/1930 Hynes 273/141 FOREIGN PATENTS372,312 4/1923 Germany 273/135 'Primary ExaminerDelbert B. LoweABSTRACT: A table-type betting game that simulates gambling on races ata horse or dog track. The game includes an AMOUNT OF BET circle, anumber of ODDS DISCS, and a BANK. An indicator, rotated over the betcircle, determines the amount ofa players wager. The BANK is always theeventual winner, due to specially designed ODDS DISCS. Each disc isdivided into segments of varying $1165, and each segment carries abetting odd, the reciprocal of each of the betting odds being greaterthan the corresponding segments proportional share of the periphery ofthe disc. The discs are interchangeable, and each disc represents onegame or race." An arrow rotated over an odds disc determines the winningplayer and the odds he receives.

GAME or CHANCE THis invention relates to that type of game that can beplayed by participants sitting around a table, and it is thought thatthe game is interesting entertainment and a good pastime.

The game was designed to be similar to gambling at a racingestablishment. Variable wagers and a variety of returns on a wager areembodied in this game. It is believed that a player of the game gets tofeel that he is doing the same thing he does at a race track.

The game might also teach a lesson, or have an educational featureassociated with it, because all the players end up losers, aftercontinuous or extended play. The winning player must be considered asthe one who loses the least amount of his original stake.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the game as it would appear laid out on atable.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are plan view illustrations of odds charts or discsused in this game.

Referring to the drawing, forming a part hereof, the numeral 21designates a table, around which eight players are seated. The playersare represented by squares and the numeral 22. Eight players are usedbecause the odds discs were designed for that many players, and eachplayer can have a different selection or choice, which is explainedlater.

The numeral 23 represents a piece of plastic, cardboard or cloth,rectangular in shape, and spread out over the table. Printed on thecloth 23, in front of each player, is a circle 24, a triangle 25, and arectangle 26, containing the words STAKE, BET and CARD, respectively.Printed on the cloth 23, near the center portion thereof, are twocircles 27 and 28, having therein the words BANK and PEGS, respectively.Eight pegs, designated as a whole by numeral 29, normally reside in thePEGS circle when not in use. These pegs 29 are described later.

Printed on the cloth, to the right of the BANK circle 27, are two largerconcentric circles 30 and 31. The space between circles 30 and 31 isdivided into four equal parts. Each of these four parts has a differentnumber printed therein, the numbers being from one to four, inclusive.The inner circle 30 contains the words AMOUNT OF BET. A four pointedrotatable indicator 32 is mounted in a base 33 that sits in the middleof circle 30. Eight holes 34 are provided in the indicator 32, two holesin each of the four points, and these holes are adapted to receive pegs29.

To the left of the BANK circle 27 is a larger circle 35, and printed onthe cloth '23, beside circle 35, are the words ODDS DISC. In the centerof circle 35 is a base 36, adapted to receive a disc 37 and a rotatablymounted arrow 38.The disc 37 fits over a hub 39 on the base 36, andrests on the base, as can be seen in FIG. 2.

The disc 37 is slightly smaller in diameter than the circle 35, and isone of a number of discs supplied with the game. These discs have areinforced outer edge 40, and a center opening 41. Each disc is dividedinto eight'segments, each segment representing one of the odds or priceson a contestant or choice. Such division of each disc is of a differentdesign or pattern, as is apparent in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Each division orsegment of each disc carries a number. In the present game it wasconsidered best to use eight numbers on each disc, selected from a setof numbers from 1 to 15, inclusive. These numbers represent values orodds, the odds that a winner receives on his bet.

In FIG. 5 the odds are all within one point of each other, as whencontestants of a race are about equal. The odds on the discs are likethe approximate odds at a race track. Since the odds discs are animportant contributing feature of the game, how they are created isessential. One method is to establish in a circle eight arcs or eightsegments, and then provide appropriate odds printed in the segments.Conversely, another method is to first establish a logical set of oddsfor a disc, and then divide the disc into appropriately sized segments.The

elimination of fractional odds on the discs was preferred, to simplifymaking payoffs, and for this and other reasons, the present discs weredeveloped using a combination of both methods stated above. The averagereduction in payoff returns was made about 15 percent, in designing thediscs. The value of the reciprocal of each odd is greater than itssegments proportional part of the periphery of the disc.

To briefly illustrate the explanation in the foregoing paragraph, andwith referenceto FIG. 5, the arcs were established first, and odds FIVEappears in a 49 segment, and the odds SIX occurs in a 41 segment.Conversely, in FIG. 3. where the odds were established first, the arc ofthe even money segment, 1 to l, was made less than one'halfthe circle.Such special features of design, used in creating the discs, is whatmakes the BANK the eventual winner.

For complete clarity, the matter described in the two precedingparagraphs may be set forth mathematically, as follows: The reciprocalof the ODD is a greater fraction than the ratio of the area of itssegment to the area of the circle. Hence, it also follows that thereciprocal of the ODD is a greater fraction than the ratio of the lengthof its arc to the circumference of the circle.

Near the outer edge of each disc, and opposite or beside each segment onthe disc, is a small hole 42 adapted to receive one of pegs 29. The pegsare outside'the range of arrow 38. Each peg has a head 43sufficientlylarge to receive a letter stamped thereon, and the letters range from Ato H," inclusive.

Before the game begins, one player is named the banker, and he giveseach player 50 chips and puts four hundred chips in the BANK. The 50chips each player receives is placed in his respective STAKE circle.Most of the successive steps of the game may be done by prearrangedagreement, such as, one player starting and each player taking his turnin clockwise order. I

A set of eight-cards, not shown, is supplied with the game, and thecards are lettered from A to H, inclusive. The cards are shuffled andeach player draws or is dealt a card, and he places it, face up, in hisrespective-CARD rectangle. The main purpose of the cards is to eliminatethe possibility of a player later forgetting the letter on. his peg. Thecards or pegs are the indicia from which an original selection is madeor given to each player.

Each playernow takes a peg from the PEGS circle, and the peg he getsmust have the same letter thereon as the letter on his card. Each playernow puts his peg in one ofthe eight holes in indicator 32. The indicator32 is spun by one of the players, to determine how much each playershallbet. The minimum bet-is one chip and the maximum bet is four chips,depending on where the indicator 32 stops in-the AMOUNT OF BET circle.The maximum bet is limited because of the relative size of the BANK. Assoon as a player knows the amount of his bet, he places that sum in hisBET 'triangle,tand there it remains until a winner has'been decided. Thearrow 38 is lifted from its base 36, one of the ODDS DISCS is put inplace on the base,

and the arrow 38 is replaced. The player with the-card lettered A newchooses the odds he wants, and puts his peg in the disc edge hole 42that is beside the odds he chooses. The player with the cardlettered Bselects the odds he wants, from the seven odds remaining, and puts hispeg'in the edge hole 42 beside the odds he chooses. This continues, eachplayer taking his turn, and selecting from the odds remaining. Theplayer with the card lettered H takes the last odds remaining, and putshis peg in the only open edge hole left.

One of the players now spins arrow 38, and the player at whose peg thearrow stops is the winner. He is paid by the banker according to theamount he bet and the odds he chose. The banker collects all the otherbets and puts the sum in the BANK. A players winnings are added to hisSTAKE circle.

We are ready to begin another race or game. The second game proceeds inthe same manner as the first described game, except that a differentODDS DISC is used. The playing continues'until all of the discs havebeen used, or until the end of a preset time period. When the playingends, the winner of the complete game is that player who has the mostchips remaining in his STAKE circle.

Variations of this game can easily be made. If there are only sevenplayers available, one player can take two cards and make two bets, etc.If there are only four players, each player can take two cards and maketwo bets. Another variation would be to design ODDS DISCS having sevendivisions, for seven players; or six divisions for six players, etc.

Any player who goes broke" before the end of the time period can borrowfrom the BANK, in order to remain in the game. A record is kept of thechips borrowed, and an accounting is made at the end of the game.

One evenings play at the present game is about equal to a weeksexperience at a race track, that is, in number of races or games played.

lclaim:

1. Game apparatus comprising a playing board having indicia thereondesignating a restricted area for use as a bank; a plurality of membersto be drawn by chance and each bearing a different one of a series ofindicia; means for selecting by chance one of said indicia; a circularmember having its surface divided into segments of different'peripheralextents, each segment bearing a different one of a set of indiciarepresenting betting odds, the value of the reciprocal of each odd beinggreater than its segment's proportional part of the periphery of saidcircular member; and means for effecting relative rotary movement ofsaidcircular member and a coacting index member to select by chance one ofsaid segments.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTEUN Patent No. 3 3 5Dated g 1] 1912 Inventor(s) Henry E. Lippert It is certified that errorappears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line'4, cancel "a restricted and'insert an line 5, after"chance" insert or choice line 10, after "chance", insert or choice line13, cancel "the value of'\ Signed and sealed this 31st day of October1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents FORM PO-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 w u.s. GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE I969 0-366-33fl.

Patent No.

Inventor(s) (SEAL) Attest:

Attesting Officer CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Henry E. 'Lippert It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified fiatent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 4, cancel a restricted" and insert an line 5, after"chance" insert or choice""; line" 7,- after chance", insert or choiceline 10, cancel' -."the value of".

This certificate supersedes Certificate of Correction issued October 31,1972.

I Signed and sealed this 24th day of April 1-973.

EDWARD M.PLETCHER,JR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Dated January 11 1972 ROBERT GOTTSCHALKCommissioner of Patents FORM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 u.s.GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I969 0-366-334. I

1. Game apparatus comprising a playing board having indicia thereondesignating a restricted area for use as a bank; a plurality of membersto be drawn by chance and each bearing a different one of a series ofindicia; means for selecting by chance one of said indicia; a circularmember having its surface divided into segments of different peripheralextents, each segment bearing a different one of a set of indiciarepresenting betting odds, the value of the reciprocal of each odd beinggreater than its segment''s proportional part of the periphery of saidcircular member; and means for effecting relative rotary movement ofsaid circular member and a coacting index member to select by chance oneof said segments.